Kapil Dev not bothered by late Margaret Thatcher’s lack of appreciation for 1983 World Cup win

India’s legendary all-rounder Kapil Dev is not really bothered about the news that their 1983 World Cup triumph was not lapped up by Britain’s Prime Minister, Margaret Thatcher. Thatcher is believed to have said ‘’No’’ when 10 Downing Street office opined that she can send a congratulatory message to India’s Prime Minister, Indira Gandhi for their World Cup triumph.

The International Daily Mail reported Kapil as saying, “That is the culture of that country. I am not bothered whether she wished me or not. If she didn’t wanted to recognise our performance, be it. I don’t care. Why to react on this issue after so many years ?”.

Balwinder Singh Sandhu, who played a major role in that triumph said, “Even if she had wished us, who would have remembered her message? It is our World Cup victory which is being talked about even after so many years.”

“We had defeated England in their own country (with 32 balls remaining) in that World Cup and that was more remarkable.”

He concluded, “Our performance was well appreciated by the Englishmen and Indians. We are proud with that. The game is bigger than Thatcher. I don’t care if she didn’t wish us,” he added.

First Published on January 18, 2014, 6:31 pmLast updated on January 18, 2014, 6:31 pm